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Best states for a senior staff scientist
Quoted expert
Don Snyder
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Not all states present equal opportunity for employees, and when it comes to senior staff scientist jobs, it's no different. We know how hard job search can be, and in order to make your life a little easier, we have the information you need in order to determine where you might want to start your job search. Pay, benefits, and opportunities vary greatly by state, and it's no different for senior staff scientists. We found that California is the best state in the nation for senior staff scientists, and people in Eureka earn the most in the field.
California is the best state for jobs for senior staff scientists, and Mississippi is the worst. The most common pay in California is $146,212, while the median pay in Mississippi is $75,321.California is the best state, and Eureka is the city with the highest pay for senior staff scientists.
10 best states for senior staff scientists in 2026
1. California
Total senior staff scientist jobs: 6,900 Average annual salary: $146,212 Lowest 10 percent earn: $100,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $212,000 Location Quotient: 1.46
2. Maine
Total senior staff scientist jobs: 233 Average annual salary: $124,818 Lowest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $172,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
3. Montana
Total senior staff scientist jobs: 166 Average annual salary: $128,397 Lowest 10 percent earn: $88,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $186,000 Location Quotient: 0.89
4. Connecticut
Total senior staff scientist jobs: 530 Average annual salary: $125,550 Lowest 10 percent earn: $88,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $177,000 Location Quotient: 0.99
5. New Jersey
Total senior staff scientist jobs: 1,894 Average annual salary: $120,644 Lowest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $171,000 Location Quotient: 1.47
6. Washington
Total senior staff scientist jobs: 1,417 Average annual salary: $119,654 Lowest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $176,000 Location Quotient: 1.2
7. Nevada
Total senior staff scientist jobs: 315 Average annual salary: $120,005 Lowest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $178,000 Location Quotient: 0.93
8. Alaska
Total senior staff scientist jobs: 100 Average annual salary: $139,019 Lowest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $199,000 Location Quotient: 0.74
9. Oregon
Total senior staff scientist jobs: 716 Average annual salary: $117,458 Lowest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $173,000 Location Quotient: 1.07
10. Pennsylvania
Total senior staff scientist jobs: 2,602 Average annual salary: $109,760 Lowest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $156,000 Location Quotient: 1.38
Senior staff scientist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a senior staff scientist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a senior staff scientist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $146,212 | $100,000 | 39,536,653 | 6,900 |
| 2 | Maine | $124,818 | $90,000 | 1,335,907 | 233 |
| 3 | Montana | $128,397 | $88,000 | 1,050,493 | 166 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $125,550 | $88,000 | 3,588,184 | 530 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $120,644 | $84,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,894 |
| 6 | Washington | $119,654 | $81,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,417 |
| 7 | Nevada | $120,005 | $80,000 | 2,998,039 | 315 |
| 8 | Alaska | $139,019 | $96,000 | 739,795 | 100 |
| 9 | Oregon | $117,458 | $79,000 | 4,142,776 | 716 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $109,760 | $77,000 | 12,805,537 | 2,602 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $109,314 | $78,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,948 |
| 12 | Delaware | $113,371 | $79,000 | 961,939 | 207 |
| 13 | Indiana | $122,878 | $85,000 | 6,666,818 | 739 |
| 14 | New York | $111,090 | $78,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,689 |
| 15 | Maryland | $112,456 | $78,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,430 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $102,312 | $72,000 | 1,059,639 | 226 |
| 17 | Vermont | $103,583 | $74,000 | 623,657 | 138 |
| 18 | Tennessee | $111,051 | $75,000 | 6,715,984 | 673 |
| 19 | Arizona | $110,743 | $73,000 | 7,016,270 | 724 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $106,512 | $75,000 | 5,576,606 | 906 |
| 21 | Illinois | $103,720 | $72,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,053 |
| 22 | Michigan | $107,762 | $75,000 | 9,962,311 | 829 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $97,458 | $66,000 | 579,315 | 81 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $104,723 | $76,000 | 1,427,538 | 137 |
| 25 | Virginia | $99,043 | $69,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,682 |
| 26 | New Mexico | $94,233 | $62,000 | 2,088,070 | 295 |
| 27 | District of Columbia | $102,166 | $71,000 | 693,972 | 262 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | $96,210 | $69,000 | 1,342,795 | 262 |
| 29 | Colorado | $98,525 | $66,000 | 5,607,154 | 799 |
| 30 | Idaho | $93,978 | $63,000 | 1,716,943 | 208 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $90,675 | $62,000 | 869,666 | 128 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $88,720 | $61,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,494 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $93,113 | $62,000 | 3,004,279 | 268 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $94,579 | $62,000 | 3,930,864 | 235 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $89,168 | $62,000 | 5,795,483 | 692 |
| 36 | Iowa | $90,545 | $62,000 | 3,145,711 | 398 |
| 37 | Alabama | $89,359 | $59,000 | 4,874,747 | 509 |
| 38 | Florida | $88,856 | $58,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,902 |
| 39 | Ohio | $83,341 | $58,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,289 |
| 40 | Kansas | $84,378 | $56,000 | 2,913,123 | 365 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $84,820 | $58,000 | 1,815,857 | 149 |
| 42 | Utah | $76,682 | $51,000 | 3,101,833 | 494 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $80,391 | $53,000 | 4,684,333 | 379 |
| 44 | North Dakota | $83,964 | $59,000 | 755,393 | 97 |
| 45 | Missouri | $77,289 | $52,000 | 6,113,532 | 794 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $83,677 | $57,000 | 4,454,189 | 355 |
| 47 | Georgia | $80,969 | $54,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,148 |
| 48 | Texas | $70,830 | $46,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,544 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $75,931 | $51,000 | 1,920,076 | 237 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $72,377 | $49,000 | 5,024,369 | 503 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $75,321 | $49,000 | 2,984,100 | 149 |
Highest paying states for senior staff scientists
| Rank | State | Avg. Senior Staff Scientist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $146,212 |
| 2 | Maine | $124,818 |
| 3 | Montana | $128,397 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $125,550 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $120,644 |
| 6 | Washington | $119,654 |
| 7 | Nevada | $120,005 |
| 8 | Alaska | $139,019 |
| 9 | Oregon | $117,458 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $109,760 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $109,314 |
| 12 | Delaware | $113,371 |
| 13 | Indiana | $122,878 |
| 14 | New York | $111,090 |
| 15 | Maryland | $112,456 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $102,312 |
| 17 | Vermont | $103,583 |
| 18 | Tennessee | $111,051 |
| 19 | Arizona | $110,743 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $106,512 |
| 21 | Illinois | $103,720 |
| 22 | Michigan | $107,762 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $97,458 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $104,723 |
| 25 | Virginia | $99,043 |
| 26 | New Mexico | $94,233 |
| 27 | District of Columbia | $102,166 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | $96,210 |
| 29 | Colorado | $98,525 |
| 30 | Idaho | $93,978 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $90,675 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $88,720 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $93,113 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $94,579 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $89,168 |
| 36 | Iowa | $90,545 |
| 37 | Alabama | $89,359 |
| 38 | Florida | $88,856 |
| 39 | Ohio | $83,341 |
| 40 | Kansas | $84,378 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $84,820 |
| 42 | Utah | $76,682 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $80,391 |
| 44 | North Dakota | $83,964 |
| 45 | Missouri | $77,289 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $83,677 |
| 47 | Georgia | $80,969 |
| 48 | Texas | $70,830 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $75,931 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $72,377 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $75,321 |
Expert opinions on the best states for senior staff scientists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for senior staff scientists to find work opportunities?
Don Snyder
Associate Director, Industry Advising: STEM, William and Mary
Strong tech markets in the U.S. include Austin, Raleigh, Atlanta, Denver, Seattle, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Columbus. Some markets are established in tech, while other markets are more up-and-coming. Smaller cities that may be "off the radar" include Huntsville and Tucson. Graduates need to look at different factors when exploring cities, including the cost of living. The dollar will go a lot further in Raleigh than in San Francisco. And some cities that were once more affordable may have a higher cost of living now due to the recent influx of residents.
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Updated January 8, 2025